


shadows and souls. (how Sawamura Daichi loses his heart)

by volna (seductrce)



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Fantasy AU, M/M, cat spirit kuroo and high schooler daichi and a lot of trouble, i have no idea how to tag this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-04
Updated: 2015-01-04
Packaged: 2018-03-05 10:29:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3116762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seductrce/pseuds/volna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One in which Daichi is a Third Year High School Student and Kuroo is a Cat Spirit with too many problems and only one solution.</p>
            </blockquote>





	shadows and souls. (how Sawamura Daichi loses his heart)

**Author's Note:**

> This whole idea belongs to [Rehn](http://mydearesthenry.tumblr.com/) and was planned out and executed as a collab for kurodai day (01/01), posted on the kurodai network tumblr [here](http://thekurodainetwork.tumblr.com/post/107124302798/a-very-late-kurodai-day-01-01-collab-with-art). (Check it out, there's art. Rehn is amazing. I cry.) 
> 
> Anyway, we talked a lot about this and well, I guess I got so into it I might end up making this an actual story bc the idea is amazing and I'm weak. 
> 
> Sigh.

The snow was still and soft, covering the ground like a big fluffy blanket, untouched and pure. A breeze blew along the edge of the forest, ruffling branches and leaves like it would the delicate hem of a girl’s dress, gentle, almost, and slightly indecent.

Kuroo sat in the shadow of a tall spruce, immobile and invisible in the setting twilight. Darkness was rolling in, in a big wave, practically observable, coming closer like an unstoppable beast, slow and sure and dangerous; Kuroo had never feared it. To him, darkness was a friend, a companion that lend its services often and conscientiously, without expecting a reward. To him, darkness was what kept him hidden in situations like these, when he needed to be.

Staring intently past the shrubbery onto the pathway, he waited. The usually dark track of trampled dirt, now one with its surroundings, would be barely visible to the human eye by now, but Kuroo was able to see it clearly, as if the sun itself was shining directly upon it. The soft shimmer of the only light source around seemed dull to him but would not so to any human crossing with it: The lantern lying in the snow was shedding a warm soothing glow, illuminating the few inches around it and darkening the shadows beyond as if adding contrast to a picture; The edges of brake's leaves seemed razor sharp and solid enough to cut flesh, softened only by the crystal layer of frozen liquid reflecting the light. 

The darkness tautened around the lantern, making it the only safe spot around, like an illuminated hut in the middle of nowhere, promising shelter where none might be found. 

Kuroo only noticed he had held his breath for several minutes when his ears picked up a sudden rustling sound and his muscles tightened, ready for the jump. His senses were too fast for his conscious mind but that was no surprise: it had always been like this.  
His claws sunk into the frozen earth below snow surface, every inch of him ready to attack.

The boy stumbled when he finally came into sight, and almost fell; Kuroo had to hold back not to dive and catch him. Cursing, the young man straightened, shuffled his feet and shoved his hands into his jacket pockets before coming closer still, eyes alight with the light they were focused on.  
Kuroo himself could not take his own off the boy. There was nothing palpably special about him. Normal height, sturdy and athletic, short dark hair, seeming black in the settling night although Kuroo knew better: it was of a rich dark brown, not unlike the boy’s eyes, gleaming dark chocolate with a shot of caramel, big and bright and gorgeous.

Kuroo stretched his neck a little to get a better look: He was outside the lantern’s reach, there would be no harm, and the boy was way too focused on the light source itself, anyway; by now he was close enough to it to be hit by the light full-on and Kuroo could make out the rosiness of his cheeks that had seemed a little less radiant before. It was a beautiful raspberry pink, sitting directly on the apples of the boy’s cheeks and reddening the tip of his nose. The cloud of his breath hit the edge of his dark blue and brown patterned scarf as he squinted against the light, observing the lantern carefully. 

The snow crunched under his feet as the boy crouched down right next to the lantern a few moments later, mittened hands still in pockets. His whole demeanor showed caution except for his eyes: they were burning with curiosity and Kuroo understood why. What was an old-fashioned blotchy red storm lantern doing in an outskirts-of-town forest on a January night, shining vividly alight?  
Suddenly, the boy looked around and for a moment, Kuroo feared he might have been discovered; They met eyes for the shortest of seconds but evidently, the boy didn’t notice so; His full attention returned to the lantern once he had confirmed to be alone and Kuroo knew it was almost time. A few more seconds now….

 ** _„WAIT!!!“_**

Kuroo landed, on all fours, in the circle of light before he knew he had jumped but it was too late: The boy’s hands had already closed around the lantern, its light blazing alive for a moment: Kuroo could feel it instantly, his heart expanding, his blood burning in his veins, pumping and running faster than before until he felt like he would melt and it was right: He was it, Kuroo could feel it, this was good, Kuroo could tell. 

It was like time stood still for that moment as of the next there was a scream of surprise deafening to Kuroo’s sensitive ears: The boy had fallen backwards onto his bum, the lantern hit the ground with a thud and rolled almost lazily before coming to rest a few paces away, twinkling joyfully in the snow and suddenly able to melt it a little around itself. Kuroo’s eyes jumped back to the young man staring at him, wide-eyed and more shocked than scared. 

„What the- Who _ARE_ you?“, he demanded, breathless, getting up quicker than anticipated, raising his fists. 

Kuroo just grinned, showing off the fangs in his upper teeth row that kept overreaching to bite him in the lower lip. 

He then straightened, clapping off the snow sticking to his bare hands and walked over slowly: it was supposed to seem casual but the last thing Kuroo wanted was for the kid to run in fear. 

The hem of his sweats has slowly soaking in the snow, damp against his ankles, but his naked feet made no sound until he was standing right in front of the boy, staring down at him unashamedly.

Kudos, Kuroo thought, for not backing away by now. The boy seemed determined not to: He was shorter than Kuroo, by a lot, but he stared up into his eyes with a fierce look. It was almost scary. 

„Who are you?“ he asked again, crudely, but Kuroo didn’t answer, not yet. He clicked his tongue, taking in the scent of the boy fully and indulging in it for a moment: Sunshine and chocolate chip cookies in the middle of the forest at night (Kuroo was unsure if the latter had been the boy’s last meal or if he just smelled like freshly baked goods always). Then, he took a few steps back to put some room between them. 

„Sawamura Daichi.“ 

The boy’s eyes widened yet again, roaming over Kuroo, his furry perked up ears and naked chest under the open hoodie jacket. Kuroo crouched a little, defensive stance, as Daichi’s mouth tightened around his next words. 

„How do you know my name?“

„Take the lantern.“

„What?“

It would have been funny, under different circumstances, the way emotions danced tango across Daichi’s face, disbelief and confusion and shock and something that at least came close to fear, a tenseness that revealed more than anything the alarm state his body was in: Kuroo could see it, the clench of muscle and fists and the dilated pupils, Kuroo could smell it, Kuroo could tell: Daichi knew he was in some kind of danger at least and he was ready to fight.

„Take the lantern, Daichi.“

„Who _are_ you?“

He was stubborn, Kuroo liked that. It would mean a lot of explanation and some lies, too, but it also meant Daichi was cautious and smart and able to assess a situation correctly: Kuroo knew all these things, he had followed the boy around often enough, too often for his own or Daichi’s good, probably, but witnessing it in this situation was still something else.

„Pick up the damn lantern, kid, and I’ll answer all your questions. Or at least like. Three of them.“

At that Daichi squinted at him, disbelieving, the ‚I’m not a kid.‘ flashing across his face for a brief second and Kuroo wanted to laugh. He did, shortly, breathily, not believing himself how terribly fond he was of this human child. 

„Will you kill me, if I try?“ Daichi asked then, and Kuroo’s giggle turned into a full out laugh. Gods, this would be a lot of fun. 

„Why don’t you find out?“ Kuroo teased for a moment but Daichi’s features dropped, so he quickly continued. „I won’t kill you. Promise.“  
Kuroo held up two clawed hands in a motion of surrender and Daichi’s gaze focused on the pointy ends of his nails. Kuroo could almost see the gears turning in Daichi’s head. He would arrive at some conclusion soon, and probably the right one, too, knowing him. 

„Pick it up, Daichi.“, Kuroo tried again, softer this time, genuine. 

Eyes not leaving Kuroo’s hands Daichi bowed down slowly, groping around the snow until his own hands closed around the lantern.  
He lifted it up, moving as if not to frighten a shy animal, and pressed it to his chest, not sparing it a glance. 

„I picked it up. Who are you?“

„You know who I am.“, Kuroo answered immediately, licking his lips. „Look at the light.“

„Why?“

„Just do. You will know why.“

Daichi stared at him for a few moments, probably contemplating if he should somehow try to escape, but curiosity won once again.  
It was supposed to be a quick look, down and up, but the moment Daichi’s eyes met with the light they were captured. That normally happened, it was nothing special, but Kuroo still purred, pleased.

He gave Daichi a few moments to get used to it, watching the way the soft glow made his skin shimmer like dusted in gold powder. 

„Do you know what you are looking at?“

„...No. What is it?“ Kuroo was surprised. Daichi’s voice was distant, dreamy, as if he was sleepy and speaking through a phone, but he still had enough sense in him to ask back? 

„My soul.“

Daichi’s eyes widened but they did not leave the light. It felt weird, to say the least, having someone stare at your very being compressed into a ball of energy and warmth. With any other person it would have been unbearable, laying yourself out like that, bare and open and vulnerable, but not him. There was something about Daichi that Kuroo could not place, something that reflected the lantern's warmth like a mirror, or rather, it took the warmth in and send back one quite similar, but not the same: better, more positive still, and Kuroo could feel his self bathing in the presence of something so powerful in its purity.

„Who are you?“ Daichi asked again, trying hard to look away from the light and almost succeeding, forehead bearing a sheen of sudden sweat. 

„Wrong question.“

Finally, Daichi managed to lift his gaze and the exchange of energy broke. Kuroo could see the ‚What the hell was that?‘ in Daichi’s eyes but he received another out of his mouth. 

„What are you?“

„Stop asking stupid questions, kiddo. You know the answer. You have just seen me.“

„A spirit.“

„A daemon of Erebos and Gaia to be exact, but why grapple with frivolities.“

Daichi’s eyes widened for the thousandth time in less than ten minutes and Kuroo grew slightly concerned. Spirits were nothing common in this world but they weren’t unheard of: They were more than just myths but not yet reality. No one had real proof of their existence and yet here he was. In the flesh. Or so to say.

„Are you…real?“ 

There was a sudden pain in Kuroo’s chest, a fondness so strong it almost overwhelmed him. Daichi’s voice had been low and tiny, naive, and his face had shown all that insecurity for a moment, making him look more like twelve than the eighteen he really was. 

The ‚Happy Belated.‘ was lying on the tip of Kuroo’s tongue but something held him back. Most likely the fact that he had already known Daichi’s name. It would be outright creepy if he would show he knew when his birthday was, too, right?

„Do I look real to you?“, he asked instead, and Daichi nodded before he could stop himself, curtly, mind, but there. „Then I must be, huh?“

Kuroo grinned again, tugging the hood of his jacket over his hair and ears carelessly, and came a little closer. The tip of Daichi’s nose was red like Rudolph’s. And yes, Kuroo knew the story. Living on this damned earth for several hundred years and hearing the song every single Christmas for the past fifty everywhere he went didn’t spare him from it. 

„It’s cold. Come on, I’ll take you home and explain on the way. How does that sound?“

Daichi, about to take a step backwards, still hugging the lantern tightly, stopped short and stared at Kuroo. 

„You won’t kill me?“ 

Daichi didn’t sound half as afraid as he should have, now that he knew what Kuroo was, but Kuroo had the strange feeling that the nature of his existence was no reason for fear, not in Daichi’s eyes, anyway. 

„Nah.“

„Why not?“

Again, pragmatic, and straight to the point. He will be the end of me, Kuroo thought, before shaking his head swiftly, little drops of molten snow flying from his shaggy fringe. 

„You are the holder of my soul now. Killing you would mean killing me, if I strip it down. Do you think I’m that stupid? Or…bloodthirsty?“

Daichi mused for a second and Kuroo was suddenly worried about the impression he had made. He had _TRIED_ to be nice. But a moment later Daichi broke into laughter, soft giggle puffing away from his lips like clouds of smoke and Kuroo’s skin crawled with heat. 

„No, I don’t think you’re stupid,… Wait. What’s your name? You know mine, tell me yours. It’s only fair.“ 

Amused, Kuroo chuckled. Why on earth was he explaining his valid need for in- and confirmation? Weird kid. 

„It’s Kuroo.“ 

„Kuroo?“

„Yeah.“

„Thats it?“ Disbelief and scolding lay deep in Daichi’s voice and Kuroo could feel his instincts battling: The rebellious side, not wanting to take orders from anyone and the pet side, automatically ready to respond to the chiding and the command that lay within: Tell the truth. He hesitated only for a moment. 

„Kuroo Tetsurou.“ 

Kuroo had been ready for anything but Daichi’s smile. Brilliant, like the sunrise on a summer’s day, heartwarming and affectionate, almost. 

„I see. Is Kuroo okay with you or- I’m not sure. Do you prefer honorifics?“

Kuroo laughed, for an uncounted time today. How cute. Honorifics. 

„Kuroo is fine.“

„Okay then, Kuroo.“ And suddenly Daichi’s expression became serious and cautious again and Kuroo just now noticed how fooled he had been by the cheerful demeanor. Daichi had not dropped his guard for a second. 

„What do you mean, holder of your soul?“


End file.
